Points of Light with an Eye for Style

Just as they do for food, our neighbors come to us to find garments that meet their unique needs for comfort and personal style. Our Clothing Center is a welcoming place to find clothing for growing children and active adults. Volunteers in this program work to create a clothing store atmosphere using concepts of retail merchandising and a keen sense of customer service.

The primary purpose of the Clothing Center is to provide good quality clothing to those we serve.  The volunteers set the tone for this by greeting clients as they arrive, assisting them in finding what they need and closing each visit with a genuine expression of appreciation.  Twenty-four volunteers served in the Clothing Center in 2021 for a total of over 1,550 hours or nearly 11% of total 2021 volunteer hours. 

Barb and Doreen serve as co-lead volunteers for the Clothing Center.  Doreen, a volunteer for 5 years, is on-site nearly six days each week.  She “likes to organize” which is a particularly important skill given the volume of items donated.  Items need to be checked for appropriateness; separated by types and sizes; and displayed in a manner that is appealing and helpful for each client.  Doreen is careful to make sure racks are not “over stuffed” knowing how difficult it can be to find items if they are packed too tightly.  She also notices and accommodates trends.  For example, when the pandemic hit and children participated in school from home, she noticed that parents selected fewer jeans and more sweatpants and leggings.  She kept watch for these items and made sure they were prominently displayed.  

Barb has been a volunteer at MOM for 10 years and started in our old space (or “closet” as she describes it) off highway 14.   She was the first clothing center coordinator; a position she assumed for 3-4 years before becoming a lead volunteer.  Barb was raised in a family where volunteering was a way of life.  “I like the volunteers that I know and work with and we have a fun time every day, pretty much”.  Barb chose to volunteer for MOM because she was impressed with its mission to help families maintain a stable environment.  “I like that we can provide nice seasonal clothing for free, so that our clients' money can be used for other things to help them maintain their homes”. 

Coming next week:  Volunteers and our Seniors Program